Cattle
Preventing and Treating Cattle Scours in Calves
The most common illness in young calves is cattle scours (diarrhea). There are many causes, including intestinal infection because of bacteria, viruses, or protozoa.
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All About Ankole Watusi Cattle
Ankole Watusi are known as the “Cattle of Kings.” Their unmistakably large horns can spear a lion. The tribes of Africa that rely on them for survival call them sacred.
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Poultry, Goat, Sheep, Swine, and Cow Gestation Calculator
Where can you find an all-in-one lambing calculator that also works to factor a pig’s gestation period and a cow’s pregnancy length? Here!
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Dealing with Diphtheria in Calves
Diphtheria in calves is generally more serious — and more noticeable — than in adult cattle. Diphtheria is an upper respiratory disease and is an infection and/ or inflammation of the vocal folds of the larynx (voice box) at the back of the throat.
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Detecting and Treating Lump Jaw in Cattle
Lump jaw in cattle is a bacterial infection of the jawbone. Bacteria are often present in the mouth of cattle, so anything that punctures the mouth tissues may open the way for infection, which can lead to lump jaw.
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Raising Highland Cattle for Beef
“As cute as they look, that is as good as they taste.” That statement is something I live by.
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Safely Castrating Calves
The best age and method for castrating calves may vary, depending on your situation. Some stockmen feel that a calf should be allowed to grow all summer before being castrated, since calves grow faster as bulls.
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Burdock Slivers Can Cause Eye Irritations
Eye problems in livestock and horses can be caused by foreign material in the eye, and one of the most challenging problems is burdock slivers. Burrs from this invasive weed stick to hair or clothing.
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Stop with the Chop
The Farmers’ Almanac is predicting “the winter of the great divide” for the 2020-21 season – cold and snowy in the north with drought in the west.
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Tips on Properly Giving Cattle Injections
Cattle injections are often necessary — vaccines, antibiotics, injectable vitamins, scours, etc. These should always be administered properly to be effective, minimize residues in the meat if the animal will be butchered later, minimize injection site lesions, and reduce the risks for adverse reactions.
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The Best Cattle Waterers for Winter
In some climates, keeping stock water ice-free can be frustrating during colder months. Tank heaters work well if a person has access to electricity, but some pastures are far from a power source.
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Dexter Cattle – The Ideal Family Cow
Homesteading is about simplicity, self reliance, and doing as much as you can with as little as possible, always with an eye on the bottom line.
So when it comes to considering large livestock, selecting an animal species or specific breed that provides multiple benefits should be the goal.
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Artificial Insemination is No Bull (Literally)
Most homesteaders dream of having their own cow to provide fresh milk and dairy products for the whole family. The challenge is, a milk cow must become pregnant before she can lactate, and that means you’re going to need a bull—unless you use artificial insemination (AI).
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How to Create a Cattle Pasture for Optimum Flavor and Fat Cover in Grass-fed Beef
With Spencer Smith – Creating the right blend of forages and grasses in a pasture to finish (fatten for slaughter) cattle is not as simple as turning the cattle out to grass. It requires timing the “finishing season” for maximum flavor and health benefits.
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How to Treat Colicky Calf Bloat
Some calves develop calf bloat, an acute enterotoxemia (toxic gut infection), caused by bacterial toxins. These calves are usually about a month old but may be as young as a few days of age or as old as two to three months.
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